‘Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate’ 2013: How Georgia Tech Matches Up with Georgia

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Wide Receivers – Draw

This is another category where Georgia would have had a decided advantage a couple of months ago. But a slew of injuries to key targets such as Malcolm Mitchell, Justin Scott-Wesley, and Michael Bennett (who will play, but is obviously still not 100 percent) have put a dent in Georgia’s big play ability. Georgia has become much more dependent on the screen game to gain large chunks of yardage. Rantavious Wooten and Reggie Davis have the speed, but both have had issues with drops this season. Georgia also likes to hit TE Arthur Lynch, although even his production has been much less than expected with some of the offensive line issues that the Bulldogs have had.

Tech is basically a one-trick pony when it comes to big play receivers, and that horse is DeAndre Smelter. But even without a group of split-out and flanker receivers to keep the Georgia secondary occupied, Smelter could still come up with some big numbers against a Georgia secondary that has been exposed several times this season. Drawing in Georgia’s safeties and linebackers with the successful option play will free up Smelter to run past the coverage.